David Hasselhoff's banned African contraband

Feb 27, 2008, 12:35 GMT

10/16/2007 - David Hasselhoff - © Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

David Hasselhoff is reclaiming an ivory tusk and an antique barber's chair from his ex-wife.

The former 'Baywatch' actor has won a court order allowing him back into the family home in Los Angeles to collect possessions from ex-wife Pamela Bach.

Among other items the former heartthrob wants to reclaim, are
an elephant foot and two elephant stools, a statue of a dolphin, a model elephant and baseball memorabilia.

Hasselhoff and Bach's divorce was finalised last December after agreeing the remaining details of their split, including spousal and child support payments and custody issues.

It was decided the former couple would share custody of their daughters, Taylor-Ann, 17, and 15-year-old Hayley, though the financial terms were not disclosed.

Hasselhoff's lawyer Melvin S. Goldsman said: "David is pleased to have the matter behind him. He wants to move on with his life."

Bach's lawyers were unavailable for comment, but her former lawyer Mark Kaplan said he was "delighted" to hear of the resolution.

He added: "I'm glad for her, I'm glad for David and I'm glad for the kids that they all have this high-conflict matter behind them."

All elephants are considered endangered species. Elephants have been slaughtered in past centuries solely for their ivory tusks. In the 1900s the wild elephant population stood at 5 million to 10 million; by 1979 hunting and habitat destruction had reduced it to 1.3 million. In the ten years between 1979 and 1989, an estimated 600,000 savanna and forest elephants—almost half the population—were slaughtered for ivory.

In June 1989 the United States banned all ivory imports, with other nations adopting similar bans soon thereafter. Under the African Elephant Conservation Act, the United States established a program to award up to $5 million a year for projects to help stop the killing of elephants in Africa. Even with such protective measures in place, ivory poaching remains a major threat. Poachers kill older elephants, including matriarchs, for their larger tusks. Herds depend on the matriarch, and her loss may interfere with the herd’s ability to migrate for food and protect the young.

When mother elephants are killed, the nursing young often do not survive.  Elephants play a key role in the ecology of forests and savannas. By eating greenery high above ground, they punch holes through which sunlight penetrates, enabling low-growing plants to thrive. By uprooting grasses, they turn over the soil, aerating it so new plants grow to replace the ones that are eaten. In times of drought, they dig water holes from which other wildlife also drink. As they walk through dense forests, elephants clear paths that smaller animals and humans can use.

(C) BANG Media International